1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of food ovens. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for operating a food oven to automatically control the heating elements to efficiently cook a particular food item.
2. Description of the Relevant Art and Problem
Today, restaurants find it increasingly more desirable to efficiently cook food in order to provide fast service and to reduce the labor costs involved in the cooking process. Efficiency means that a particular food item is cooked in a short time and with minimal interaction required from an operator while not sacrificing food quality.
Many ovens currently in use contain a single heating element. The user must set the oven temperature and monitor the food item to determine when to remove it from the oven. Some ovens contain a timer which turns the heating element on and off to allow a food item to cook for a predetermined time. Other ovens utilize two cooking intervals: a first with conducted heat and a second with both conducted heat and radiant heat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,669 to Huntley, is directed to and entitled, an Oven Having Dual Heating Means. This invention describes a oven having a base plate which is heated. Food items may be placed directly on the heated base plate. A second heating element, preferably a quartz lamp heating element, is placed above the base plate, in the oven's cavity. The quartz heating element has a greater thermal intensity than the base heater. A timer is provided which allows the operator to set the quartz heater to be turned on after a predetermined time, and remain on for a second predetermined time. Thus, the Huntley apparatus contemplates the use of two intervals in a cooking cycle. The intense heat provided by the quartz heater allows, for example, the top of a pizza to be browned quickly.
It is known in the art that a superior product is obtained through the use of a cooking cycle comprising three intervals: a brown, a cook, and a finish interval. For example, conduction, convection, and high intensity radiant heating are each utilized during the brown interval. Following the brown interval, a relatively long cook interval is effected in which only conduction and convection heating are utilized. Finally, during a finish interval, each of conduction, convection, and high intensity radiant heat is applied again. The result is a product which is fully and rapidly cooked with an appetizing color and texture. However, operators of prior art ovens have been required to constantly monitor the cooking process and manually control the timing of the transitions in the cooking sequence in order to insure a quality product. Unless the food item is constantly monitored by the operator, it may become over-cooked because of heat generated by previous cooking cycles. For example, an oven which uses quartz bulbs as well as conducted and convected heat will over-cook pizzas if pizzas are rapidly cooked in sequence without changing the oven settings. Monitoring the cooking process occupies time that the operator may use to attend to other tasks.